The Happiness Happening is a multimedia experience featuring original instrumental music for sextet written by Pete Reppert, followed by a full set of funk-and-roll-hip-hop-soul by Mauvin Graye and the Graye Line Band.

A happening is more than just a concert – it can include audience participation and the element of chance. For example, one of the paintings can appear different for every viewer. The audience are participants, collaborating in the outcome of the performance and no two happenings are ever the same.

Pete Reppert has been co-organizer of several Greenbelt jazz festivals and played jazz piano at the New Deal cafe for many years. He also was part of the two-person ‘pit band’ for The Patchwork Girl of OZ produced at GAC (July 2023). Pete also does single-panel cartoons for the Greenbelt News Review. This is the first time his paintings will be displayed in Greenbelt.

Mike Bennett plays the role of Mauvin Graye, emcee of Monday night live karaoke at the New Deal cafe. Members of the Graye Line Band will perform in both sets. Mike brings his extensive academic and professional audio-visual experience, having worked at BET and written, produced, and recorded countless animated music videos as a talented multi-instrumentalist, among other projects. The Graye Line Band was pleased to perform at the Green Man Festival this year.

Additional artwork in the form of large, colorful panels by ‘Tanglewood Sue’ will be on display during the happening.

The event will include an intermission where attendees will be encouraged to explore the meaning of happiness. In these troubled times, the Happiness Happening is intended to be a safe escape and a venue for self-expression. That artsy outfit that feels great on but there never seems to be the right occasion to wear it? This is that occasion. As Mike likes to say at Monday Mauveness “anything can happen.”